This summer, at our new house with its mega-gigantic deck, is going to be a banner year for veggies. I’m growing four kinds of squashes, two kinds of tomatoes, three bags of potatoes, and as many herbs as we can find room for.

This week’s iteration is Smitten Kitchen’s Roasted Eggplant Soup. I actually managed to produce some eggplant in my own garden (or at least, on my balcony) this year, and I needed to use them up – voila, eggplant soup recipe! I call this Eggplant Tomato because the tomato flavour is pretty strong, but it’s also very garlicky and eggplanty and oniony, all with that richer flavour you get from roasting.

1. I finished school! Actually in May of 2011. But whatever! School! Done! Forever! Unless I someday lose my mind entirely and go back for a Masters.

2. I AM EMPLOYED! And I even like my job! And am surrounded by co-workers almost as strange as myself! IT’S A MIRACLE! Or so I am comfortable pronouncing it after seven months of un/under-employment. (Dear Bog, let me never work retail again, Amen.)

3. My mother turned 60, and I got to participate in an actual, successful, real-life, 30-person surprise party (organized by my little sister). Mum doesn’t look 60, so obviously I am going to age well! Huzzah!

While we, the Bookslingers, are thoroughly Canadian, we host our site on American servers. SOPA and PIPA present a clear and present danger not only to American free speech, but to free expression and open access to the Internet for anyone who hosts content, registers a domain, or indeed uses any online service that is located or administered in the United States of America.

Any site whose content might be challenged as a violation of anyone’s copyright; even if the content is being used legally, within the boundaries of fair use. And the same forces behind SOPA and PIPA have been exerting pressure in Canada; the objectionable digital locks provisions in the proposed Canadian Bill C-11 are there largely due to American pressures.

So if you were wondering if this has anything to do with you, when you’ve probably never even considered violating anyone’s copyright: the answer is a resounding YES.

If you’re an American, please, please contact your congressional representative and tell them to vote ‘No’ on this law.

If you’re a Canadian, this is a good time to write to your Member of Parliament to register your objection to digital lock rules in Bill C-11.